connecting flights

[Deesknee]

Hi Everyone, We are flying on a connecting flight for the first time. I have a couple of questions. I hope someone can help answer them.

1) does having a connection flight substantially increase chances of losing luggage? We are using ME

2) Using JFK airport in NY as the connecting flights airport. Is 2 1/2 hours plenty of time to catch the outgoing flight? Only 3 of us, but one (being pushed by a healthy male, so hurrying is an option) in a manual wheelchair and a 9 year old.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Hi Everyone, We are flying on a connecting flight for the first time. I have a couple of questions. I hope someone can help answer them.

1) does having a connection flight substantially increase chances of losing luggage? We are using ME

2) Using JFK airport in NY as the connecting flights airport. Is 2 1/2 hours plenty of time to catch the outgoing flight? Only 3 of us, but one (being pushed by a healthy male, so hurrying is an option) in a manual wheelchair and a 9 year old.

When you check-in at the airport, make sure the bags are tagged for Orlando. The airline luggage tags are computerized and electronically sorted, so if one bag goes astray, the computer should be able to locate it and reroute it for you.

I worried about losing luggage too, so I didn't put the ME tags on the luggage, and we claimed the bags ourselves when we arrived in Orlando. When we showed up at ME with our bags, the staff thought it was rather weird that we didn't trust their baggage handlers. I think DH would've preferred that Disney retrieved our bags, and next time we probably will. We were going on a Disney cruise after a couple of days at WDW, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't going nekked. And since the bags went on the ME bus to the WDW hotel with us, we didn't have to wait hours for it to be delivered.

2-1/2 hrs should be oodles of time for a connecting flight, even if your connection is clear at the opposite end of the airport.

 

[DebbieB]

It does increase the chance of your luggage being delayed. One time I flew Richmond-Atlanta-Pittsburgh (strange direction I know). The Richmond-Atlanta was late and I ran through the Atlanta airport to make my connection. My luggage didn't make it but it was on the next flight. I had the choice of waiting for it at the airport or having it delivered. I needed my bag so I waited about an hour for the next flight to come in.

But having a non-stop does not guarantee your luggage will make it. The last time I had a delayed bag was when I checked in 2 or 3 hours early in Minneapolis, non-stop to PIT. Somehow my luggage got sent to Duluth. That was a Friday night, I did not get it until Sunday morning.

A long layover is a good idea at the NY area airports, there are alot of delays due to air traffic control. If it's raining or even just low clouds they slow down the number of flights arriving and departing.

 

[sam_gordon]

1) Increase the chances, yes. Substantially? Not sure.
2) Unless you have to clear customs, 2 1/2 hours is PLENTY. Even if you have to clear customs, that should be still be enough time.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yes, every single time a checked bag is touched by human hands, the possibility for delayed/lost bags goes up. BUT.....it's nothing I would worry about very much. I've had one bag delayed in all my trips....so, I just don't worry about it anymore.

Yes, 2.5 hrs is plenty of time to make a connection. In fact, you're going to be sitting there, saying 'why the heck do they give us this much time to sit around??'. So take advantage of the time and grab something to eat, use the restrooms, etc. Just be at the gate 45 mins prior to your departure.

 

[Jestocost]

Hi Everyone, We are flying on a connecting flight for the first time. I have a couple of questions. I hope someone can help answer them.

1) does having a connection flight substantially increase chances of losing luggage? We are using ME

2) Using JFK airport in NY as the connecting flights airport. Is 2 1/2 hours plenty of time to catch the outgoing flight? Only 3 of us, but one (being pushed by a healthy male, so hurrying is an option) in a manual wheelchair and a 9 year old.

As noted, yes, adding a connecting flight does increase the chances that your luggage will be lost or, more likely, delayed. That said, in the past year airlines only have been "mishandling" bags at a rate of just over three bags for every 1,000 domestic passengers. If you assume that bags on non-stops are being mishandled at a rate of two per 1,000 passengers and connecting flights at a rate of four per 1,000 to get to that average (and I am just making those numbers up out of thin air), that's "substantially" greater from a statistical perspective but still a relatively low incidence overall.

Two and a half hours is more than enough time to make a flight connection and even gives you plenty of cushion should your original flight be delayed.

 

[Disflyer]

Quick question for the OP. Are you switching airlines at JFK? JFK has many terminals and switching airlines there most likely would require you to travel to a different terminal. However, 2 1/2 hours should be penty, even if you are transfering airlines. If you are traveling on the same airline then 2 1/2 hours will cause more of an issue with "what am I going to do for 2+ hours".

Also many have stated that chances of bags being delayed or misconnected are low. As with anything when you add complexity to the situation it increases chances of something going wrong. I will temper that with this, most misconnected bags are due to tight connection times or transfering from one airline to another. With that said 2 1/2 hours to connect will provide ample time for your bag to follow you.

 

[Deesknee]

Thanks to everyone! You have rested my mind at ease.

And NO we are not switching airlines. Jetblue all they way. Thank goodness, that may put me over the edge.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Airlines are very good at handling the bags of connecting passengers at their own major hub airports. It's what they do. They have people, equipment, and processes in place to handle nearly 100% of the bags quickly and accurately.

JFK is the major hub airport for jetBlue.

I''ve had bags delayed a number of times over the years, primarily when I've connected at airports that are not major connection hubs.

2 1/2 hours is plenty of time for a connection. However, just be aware that flight delays can happen.

A few years ago, I had what was supposed to be a 2-hour connection at JFK on jetBlue. The month was June. Because of terrible storms, the departure of the first flight segment was delayed around 90 minutes. Then we had to fly a longer much route to bypass the storms. We landed at JFK at just about the same time that the second segment was leaving the gate. The next flight to our destination was six hours later.

I'm not telling you this to scare you. Just be aware that there is always a risk of missing a connection. And there's always a chance the bags will be delayed. But usually everything works as it's supposed to.

 

[Deesknee]

Airlines are very good at handling the bags of connecting passengers at their own major hub airports. It's what they do. They have people, equipment, and processes in place to handle nearly 100% of the bags quickly and accurately.

JFK is the major hub airport for jetBlue.

I''ve had bags delayed a number of times over the years, primarily when I've connected at airports that are not major connection hubs.

2 1/2 hours is plenty of time for a connection. However, just be aware that flight delays can happen.

A few years ago, I had what was supposed to be a 2-hour connection at JFK on jetBlue. The month was June. Because of terrible storms, the departure of the first flight segment was delayed around 90 minutes. Then we had to fly a longer much route to bypass the storms. We landed at JFK at just about the same time that the second segment was leaving the gate. The next flight to our destination was six hours later.

I'm not telling you this to scare you. Just be aware that there is always a risk of missing a connection. And there's always a chance the bags will be delayed. But usually everything works as it's supposed to.

Thanks. I hadn't thought about the originating flight being delayed. (I don't know why. maybe because I've never had a flight delay of any significance.) I understand you are not trying to scare me. Honestly I want to be prepared. After that it is out of my hands. And this experience will go under live and learn... good or bad.

 

[ParrotBill]

Luggage problems are most likely with extra short or extra long connections, or with inter-airline, or with connections that cross terminals at large airports.

Given you are on JetBlue, you are well contained at the new JFK JetBlue terminal, with a state of the art luggage handling system, and you have
a reasonable connect time - plenty long to handle delays from Boston, not too long that your luggage might be set aside. When you arrive your luggage will go right to the connecting gate (too long, it gets set aside in a holding area.)

The real risk is if your first flight is delayed and your luggage does not make it onto the second flight. In that case it will very likely be on a later flight and catch up to you. Put your ME tags on that way Disney will pick it up and bring it and you won't have to worry about it!

I have flown hundreds of connecting flights. My luggage was delayed exactly twice in 30 years and never lost. (knock wood)

 

[Deesknee]

Luggage problems are most likely with extra short or extra long connections, or with inter-airline, or with connections that cross terminals at large airports.

Given you are on JetBlue, you are well contained at the new JFK JetBlue terminal, with a state of the art luggage handling system, and you have
a reasonable connect time - plenty long to handle delays from Boston, not too long that your luggage might be set aside. When you arrive your luggage will go right to the connecting gate (too long, it gets set aside in a holding area.)

The real risk is if your first flight is delayed and your luggage does not make it onto the second flight. In that case it will very likely be on a later flight and catch up to you. Put your ME tags on that way Disney will pick it up and bring it and you won't have to worry about it!

I have flown hundreds of connecting flights. My luggage was delayed exactly twice in 30 years and never lost. (knock wood)